/  or/v 


v     i     i  i_i  u  lj  i_i  _ i  a  i_i 


I 


[ft 


No.  90. 

NOAH'S  CARPENTERS. 

It  was  a  late  hour  at  nisrht.     The  City  of  N ,  with 

its  many  turrets  and  spires,  was  sleeping  under  the 
shadow  of  those  rocky  sentinels  which  have  guarded 
the  plain  since  the  Mood.  The  waves  of  the  ocean  fell 
gently  and  soothingly  on  the  beach.  The  moon  waded 
through  the  fleecy  autumn  clouds,  now  playing  with  i lie 
waters  and  lighting  up  the  scene,  and  then  concealing 
her  glory,  as  if  to  make  its  revelations  more  prized.  It 
was  a  night  for  pious  thoughts  and  conversation. 

Two  persons  were  leaving  the  city  and  passing  along 
the  water-side  to  a  beautiful  valley,  where  one  was  a 
resident  and  the  other  a  guest.  The  taller,  the  elder 
of  the  two,  was  actively  erf<ragt*d  in  a  work  of  benevo- 
lence, in    the  blessings  of  which  the   people  of  N 

and  the  students  of college  mutually  shared.     The 

work  wis  too  heavy  for  him,  and  he  had  invited  his 
young  friend,  an  impenitent  lad,  of  whom  we  will  speak 
as  Menry,  to  aid  him.  Together  they  had  spent  many 
a  weary  day  in  supplying  the  Christian  laborers  who 
co-operated  with  ih<  m  in  the  choicest  means  of  useful- 
ness, as  they  crowded  the  depository  of  truth.  Ex- 
hausted by  their  toils,  they  were  now  returning  for  a 
night's  repose.  Hitherto,  not  a  word  had  been  addressed 
to  the  obliging  lad  about  his  soul.  The  fitting  occasion 
seemed  to  have  arrived.  A  quaint  but  fitting  manner 
"was  i  hosen. 

*  Henry,"  asked  the  elder  of  the  younger,  "do  you 
know  what  became  of  N  mh's  carpenters?" 

"Noah's  carpenters!"  exe'aimed  Henry;  "  I  did  n't 
know  that  Noah  had  any  carpenters." 

"Certainly  he  must  have  had  help  in  building  one  of 
the  largest  and  best-proportionejd  ships  ever  put  upon 
the  stoclcs.  There  must  have  been  many  ship-carpenters 
at  work  for  a  long  time,  to  have  constructed  such  a  ves- 
sel in  such  an  age.      What  became  of  them,  think  you, 


2  NOAII  8    CARPENTERS. 

when  all  the  fountains  ef  the  great  deep  were  broken 
up,  and  the  windows  of  heaven  were  opened  ?" 

"What  do  yuu  mean  by  such  a  queer  question?" 
Henry  replied. 

"  No  matter  what,  just  now.  Please  answer  lite  in- 
quiry. And  you  may  also  tell  me  if  you  will,  what 
you  would  have  done  in  that  dreadful  hour,  when  the 
storm  came  in  its  fury,  and  Noah's  prophecies  were  all 
fulfilled,  and  all  but  the  family  of  the  preacher  of  right- 
eousness were  ready  to  be  engulfed  in  those  black 
watt-rs  ?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Henry,  in  a  half  thoughtful, 
half  trifling  manner;  "perhaps  I  should  have  got  on 
the  rudder  I" 

"This  is  human  nature  exactly,  Henry.  It  would 
4  climb  up  some  other  way,'  rather  than  enter  the  fold 
by  the  oulv  door.  It  would  'get  on  the  rudder,'  in  its 
pride  and  shortsightedness,  rather  than  go  into  the  ark 
of  safety.  It  would  'save  itself,'  by  hanging  on  at  the 
hazard  of  bein^r  swept  into  the  gulf  of  despair,  instead 
of  bring  saved  by  the  provision  of  infinite  love. 

"But  I  'II  tell  you  plainly  what  I  mean,  Henry,  by 
Noah's  earpenters.  You  have  kindly  and  generously 
given  me  your  aid  day  after  day,  in   building  an  ark  in 

N ,  by  which  many,  I   trust,  will    be  saved.      1   feel 

g'ateful  for  your  help.  But  I  greatly  fear  that  while 
others  will  be  rejoicing  in  the  fruits  oi  our  labors,  you 
will  be  swept  away  in  the  storm  of  wrath  which  will  by 
and  by  beat  on  the  heads  of  those  who  enter  not  the  ark 
of  Jesus  Christ.  No  human  device  will  avail  lor  you. 
•Getting  on  the  rudder'  will  not  answer;  you  must  be 
in  Christ,  or  you  are  lost.  Remember  Noah's  Carpen- 
ters, and  flee  to  the  ark  without  delay." 

We  reached  the  house  and  parted.    The  winter  came. 

The  lad  was  placed   at  a  boarding-school   in  .      He 

visited  home  during  the  winter  vacation,  and  presented 
himself  to  the  church  for  admission  to  its  communion. 
He  then  stated  that  the  conversation  detailed  above  had 
never  passrd  from  his  memory.  It  led  him  to  serious 
reflections,  and  ultimately,  we  trust,  to  the  ark  of  safely. 
He  is  now  entering  a  career  of  wide-spread  public  use- 
fulness.    He  will  never  forget  Noah's  carpenters. 


NOAH  S    CARPENTERS.  *S 

Though  Noah's  carpenters  were  all  drowned,  there 
are  a  great  many  of  the  same  stock  now  alive  ;  of  t hose 
who  contribute  to  promote  the  spiritual  good  of  others, 
and  aid  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 
hut  personally  neglect  the  great  salvation. 

Sabbath-school  children,  who  gather  in  the  poor  or  con- 
tribute their  money  to  send  tracts  and  books  to  the  des- 
titute, or  lo  aid  In  the  work  of  missions,  and  yet  remain 
unconverted,  are  like  Nonh's^Carnonters. 

Teachers  in  Bible-classes  and  Sabbath-schools,  who 
point  their  pupils  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  but.  do  not  lead 
the  way,  are  like  guide-boards  that  toll  the  road,  but  are 
not  travellers  on  it;  or  like  Noah's  carpenters,  who  built 
an  ark,  and  were  overwhelmed  in  the  waters  that  bore 
it  aloft  in  safety. 

Curehss  parents,  who  instruct  their  children  and  ser- 
vants, as  every  parent  should,  in  the  great  doctrines  of 
the  gospel,  yet  fail  to  illustrate  these  doctrines  in  their 
lives,  and  seek  not  a  personal  interest  in  the  blood  of 
Chris',  are  like  Noah's  carpenters,  and  must  expect 
their  doom. 

Printers,  sewers,  folders  and  binders,  engaged  in  making 
Bibles  and  religious  books,  book-sellers  and  publishers  of 
religious  newspapers,  who  are  doing  much  to  increase 
the  know  ledge  of  the  gospel  and  to  save  souls,  but  so 
many  of  whom  are  careless  about  their  own  salvation, 
will  have  the  mortification  of  knowing,  that  while  their 
toils  have  been  instrumental  of  spiritual  pood  to  thou- 
sands, they  were  only  the  pack-mules  1 1 1 m t  carried  a 
load  to  market  without  tasting  it,  or  like  Noah's  car- 
penters, who  built  a  ship  they  never  sailed. 

Wealthy  and  liberal,  but,  unconverted  men,  who  help  to 
build  churches  and  sustain  the  institutions  of  (he  gospel, 
but  who  "will  not  come  unto  Christ  that  they  may  have 
life/'  are  hewing  the  timbers  and  driving  the  nails  of 
the  ark  which  they  are  too  proud  or  too  careless  to  enter. 
Perhaps  they  think  they  will  be  safe  on  the  "rudder;" 
but  they  may  find  too  late  that  when  they  would  ride 
they  must  swim — that  when  they  would  float  they  must 
sink',  with  all  their  good  deeds  unmixed  with  faith  as  a 
mill-stone  about  their  necks. 

Moralists  who  attend  church  and  support  the  ministry, 


NOAH  S    CARPENTERS. 


but  who  do  not  receive  into  their  hearts  the  gospel  they 
tliu*  sustain,  are  like  Noah's  carpenters. 

The  noble  soldier  who  ri:>ks  Ins  life  in  the  defence  of 
his  country,  who  gives  of  his  pay  to  scatter  the  word 
of  truth — who  even  distributes  these  tracts  among  his 
comrades,  may,  in  the  end,  lose  his  own  immortal  soul; 
and,  like  Noah's  carpeniers,  drown  bes,de  the  ark  he 
assisted  in  building.      Doiit  forget  Noah's  carpenters. 

Perhaps  the  Christian  reader  will  be  encouraged  by 
this  nana'ive  to  speak  a  word  in  season  to  seme  of 
these  ark-builders.  Their  kindness  should  be  acknowl- 
edged. "These  things  ought  they  10  have  done."  The 
danger  is,  that  the  great  tiling  will  be  left  undone. 
Hun,  speak  to  that  younjr  man.  Teil  him  that  the  storm 
of  wrath  will  come.  Tell  him  that  "getting  on  the  rud- 
der" of  ihe  ark,  and  all  other  human  devices  for  salva- 
tion, are  vain  refuges  of  lies.  Tell  him  that  the  ark  is 
open — that  it  is  safe — that  it  waits  fur  him.  The  dove 
and  the  olive  branch  are  in  this  ark.  The  bow  of  m^rcy 
spans  the  heavens  above  if.  Peace,  and  hope,  and  sal- 
vation are  there.  But,  if  scorned  or  neglected,  when 
once  the  door  is  shut,  they  only  that  are  in  the  ark  will 
"remain  alive."  Who  can  abide  ihat  storm?  Who 
cati  bufTet  those  waves?     Who  will  survive  that  deluge? 

"Many  will  say  tn  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in 
thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  cast  out  devils,  and  in  thy  vumr  donr  tnany 
wonderful  works?  And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them  1  never  knew 
yun  :  d  part  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity^ —  Matt,  vii,  22,  "J3. 

"  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection  ;  lent  that  by 
any  means,  when  1  hare  preached  to  others,  1  inystlf  should  be  A 
CASTAWAY.'— I  Cob.  ix,  27. 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE  SOUTH  CAROLINA  TRACT  SOCIETY. 

Printed  by  Evans  k  Cogswell,  No.  3  Broad  street,  Charleston.  S.  0. 


Hollinger  Corp. 
PH8.5 


